Nisha Katona’s big flavour twists to classic dishes

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“One of my favourite supper dishes is my gin and tonic salmon, which matches herbs and botanicals with the delicate flavours of the fish. It set me thinking about other herbal combinations to complement fish and in a flash of inspiration, I realised that the pungently aromatic herbs of Thailand – galangal, makrut (kaffir) lime, lemongrass – might be the perfect foil for the oily flesh of trout.”

In this case, tequila works superbly. “An elegant dish for a summer’s evening. A tequila soda and lime on the side is entirely optional, but advised.”

Thai tequila trout

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 complete rainbow trout, gutted and cleaned

250ml soda water

Sea salt and freshly floor black pepper

For the marinade:

4 tbsp tequila

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

3 garlic cloves, crushed

A small chunk of galangal, peeled and grated

1 lemongrass stalk, finely shredded

6 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, finely shredded

½ crimson chilli, finely diced

1 tsp floor coriander

To serve:

A handful of contemporary coriander

Flaky sea salt

Lime wedges

Cooked rice

Method:

1. The evening earlier than you need to cook dinner the dish, marinate the fish. Put all of the marinade substances in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 / 4 of the combination inside every trout, then put the trout in a big baking dish and pour over the soda water. Place within the fridge in a single day.

2. The subsequent day, take away the fish from the fridge and preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gasoline 6. Place the dish within the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or till the fish is opaque and cooked by means of.

3. If the sauce has not diminished sufficiently, take away the fish to a plate and canopy with foil to preserve heat. Tip all of the juices from the pan right into a saucepan and place over a medium warmth. Let the liquid bubble over the warmth till it has diminished to a sticky sauce.

4. Serve the trout with the sauce poured excessive and a scattering of contemporary coriander leaves. Sprinkle with flaky salt and supply limes on the facet, as is compulsory along with your tequila. Serve with rice.

Green mango and pistachio cauliflower steak

“This recipe is all about experimenting with new flavours – the sweet-and-sour sharpness that the citrusy amchoor brings to this rich starter or light lunch is delightful.”

“Amchoor is a spice not frequently used in Western cuisine – it’s probably not something everyone has on their spice rack along with the usual cumin and coriander, but do give it a go if you can find it.”

A big cauliflower ought to simply yield 4 steaks, with some left over.

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

4 cauliflower steaks, every 2cm thick

70g butter

1 tbsp amchoor

1 tsp floor coriander

1 giant garlic clove, crushed

60g shelled pistachios

Sea salt and freshly floor black pepper

1-2 limes, halved

To serve:

1 contemporary ripe mango, peeled, stoned and sliced

Dollops of thick plain yogurt

A big handful of contemporary coriander sprigs

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gasoline 7 and line a baking sheet with foil. Lay your cauli steaks on the baking sheet.

2. Melt the butter in a small bowl within the microwave (or in a small pan on the hob/stovetop) and stir within the amchoor, coriander, garlic and a superb pinch of salt. Brush this combination over each side of the cauliflower steaks, then bake within the oven for quarter-hour.

3. Meanwhile, make the pistachio crumb. Finely chop the pistachios, put them in a bowl and season effectively with salt and pepper.

4. Once the quarter-hour are up, flip the steaks over. Add the lime halves to the tray and return it to the oven for an additional quarter-hour, or till the cauli steaks are tender and actually beginning to tackle some color.

5. After this time, sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the tops of the cauli steaks and return them to the oven for about three minutes to toast the pistachios. Keep a watch on them as they will burn simply.

6. Serve the cauli steaks with slices of contemporary mango, a dollop of yogurt, contemporary coriander and a squeeze of the roasted lime juice.

Marmite caramel blondies

“The tang the Marmite brings to the caramel swirl running through these blondies is unusual, but I know you will be pleasantly surprised by the flavour. Just like a good salted caramel, the slight saltiness of the Marmite combined with the natural bitterness of the walnuts enhances and offsets the sweetness of the blondie.

“The caramel sinks into the batter slightly on cooking and you end up with a cinder toffee effect on top.”

You can use shop-bought caramel or dulce de leche should you want.

Makes: 12

Ingredients:

175g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

180g salted butter, melted and cooled

280g gentle brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

100g chopped walnuts

For the Marmite caramel:

125g caster sugar

30g salted butter

100ml double cream

2 tbsp Marmite

Method:

1. First make the caramel, so it’s prepared for whenever you want it. Put 4 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and tip within the sugar. Place the pan over a medium warmth and stir gently till the sugar has dissolved, then go away it to cook dinner for 5 minutes or so, with out stirring, till it’s a beautiful golden color.

2. Throw within the butter and let it soften in, then take away the pan from the warmth and stir within the cream. It could spit at first, however preserve stirring till you’ve got a easy sauce. Once totally mixed, stir within the Marmite, switch the combination to a pouring jug and put aside to cool.

3. For the blondies, preheat the oven to 180C/gasoline 4. Line a 20 x 30 centimetre/eight x 12 inch brownie tin with baking parchment. Sift the flour and baking powder right into a bowl.

4. In one other bowl, stir collectively the melted butter and sugar. Once mixed, stir within the eggs and vanilla extract. Add the flour combination and fold in, then fold within the chopped walnuts. Pour the combination into the ready brownie tin and unfold degree.

5. If the caramel has set an excessive amount of and is not pourable, warmth it gently for just a few seconds to loosen it up. Drizzle the caramel everywhere in the prime of the blondie, then stir it gently by means of with the deal with of a spoon or a skewer to create a marbled impact within the batter.

6. Bake the blondie for about half-hour, or till the combination is simply set. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes within the tin earlier than transferring to a wire rack to cool utterly. Once cool, slice into 12 squares. Store in an hermetic tin for up to three days.

‘BOLD: Big Flavour Twists to Classic Dishes’ by Nisha Katona (Nourish Books, £30).